Radio echo direction determining apparatus



Feb. 24, 1953 J. LA VIA 2,629,868

RADIO ECHO DIRECTION DETERMINING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 3; 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 BE S2 INVENTOR.

+- JOSEPH m m.

BY HUN ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1953 J. LA VlA RADIO ECHO DIRECTION DETERMINING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1947 will!- JOSEPH ZS JIQ ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1953 J. LA VIA 2, 29,86

RADIO ECHO DIRECTION DETERMINING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR. JOSEPH LA V/fl.

J. LA VlA RADIO ECHO DIRECTION DETERMINING APPARATUS QQ h i w Feb. 24, 1953 Filed Feb. 3, 1941' INVENTOR. JOSEPH [/7 WA.

TORNEY mobkmzmu 43/65 I @Q WW Nw Q N .3 mg @Q Mg 3% 3 g g "m N Ev 1 www E m RNN \@N @H: mvq I k WIN. L (I, MUM H hm U Q\ I; q F Q cm 7 I 8%? I I m% sww w I 8% v3 m 6% m h mwN Patented Feb. 24, 1953 RADIO ECHO DIRECTION DETERMINING APPARATUS Joseph La Via, Ridgewood, N. Y.

Application February 3, 1947, Serial No. 725,995

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in radar transmitting and receiving methods and apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide means to scan space at a higher speed than at present utilized combined with means for exploratory projecting progressively about the vertical axis of an antenna array in a plurality of successive angular elevations or predetermined periodically retracted successive paths about the axis of the antenna and means to project onto an image screen a light component of the reflected signal so as toindicate the .presence and location of a remote object and to obtain an overall or panoramic coverage of space or regions around the sending station.

Generally, the invention contemplates the use of an impulse transmitter, a high speed, fine definition space scanning antenna, a receiver, a light diffraction projector or other suitable apparatus and a viewing screen.

In the drawings Fig. l is a diagrammatic showing of method and apparatus for radar transmission and translation.

Figs. 1a, 1b, and 10 show details of the invention.

Fig. 1d is a diagrammatic view showing one form of framing device.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a modification of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view, slightly in perspective, of an antenna array shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the antenna array but drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of di-poles in the antenna array.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of an energy transfer unit.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on lines 1-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on lines 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a partial front view of an energy transfer disk shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a face view of a brush carriage shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of the image screen.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown in Fig. l, a transmitter, a remote object, a receiver, a light diffraction projector TP and screen. In this diagram, I0 is a source of light concentrated into a beam by the condenser ll, and directed through the slit 12a (Fig. 1a) of plate [2. The emergent light rays are made parallel by lens I3, passing through a light 1 difiraction cell I t and are blocked by a light shutter l5. This light shutter comprises a pair of Nichol prisms arranged in crossed relation with a Kerr cell interposed between them. When a suitable electro-motive force is applied to the Kerr cell, the light which is thus permitted to pass therethrough will be converged by lens [3a and pass through aperture in gate l6, aperture in plate I611, lens l8, and an image of the light slit 12a is formed on the opaque surface l9a (Fig. 1b) of plate l9, of such size and position that practically all the light is stopped when the diffraction cell 14 is not active.

This light diffraction cell operates in accordance with the phenomenon discovered by Debye and Sears, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D. 0., volume 18, pages 409-414, June 15, 1932, wherein it is disclosed that compressional waves in a liquid causes diffraction of light. There are several methods of constructing a light diffraction cell, of which the following, in brief, is one description: the consist of the cell is the combination of a suitable container, with a pair of windows in two opposite walls and at one end of the cell, a piezoelectric driver or quartz crystal is suitably mounted so that it will vibrate in response to an applied electro-motive force. The opposite end of the cell is formed at an angle of 45 and covered with a layer of cork or other resilient material to absorb the waves, so they are not reflected back to the crystal, and the cell may contain carbon tetrachloride or other suitable compressive medium. Parallel rays of light passing through the cell in a direction parallel to the wave fronts of the compressional waves in the liquid with their periodic compressions and rarefactions act similarly to a diffraction grating.

Within the confines of the cell l4 thereis created a series of compressive waves, the rate of travel being one wave traversing across the cell for each energized group of di-poles hereinafter described. The light passing therethrough will become successively diffracted into vertical striations and blocked by the light shutter l5. For convenience, this diffracted light portion will hereafter be referred to as a high frequency scanning component.

Narrow slits 26 are either punched or photographically provided on the strip I! (Fig. 1c), and 30 slits per second pass the aperture in the plate [6a. The opposite run of the band which is not exposed to the light will be directed out of the path of the light and pass by the outside of the lens [8.

Provision is made forsynchronizing the position of the slits 26 with the transmitted signal and for that purpose there may be provided an idler 30 (Fig. 1d) rotatably supported on lever 3 I, which is pivoted at 32 to the frame or other support not shown. The lever 3| has attached to it a spring 33 which tends to urge the lever toward upright position, but a threaded nut and screw arrangement illustrated at 34, may be micrometrically adjusted to depress the lever BI, and hence the idler roller 30 against the endless band II, to deflect it out of the vertical line, and thus to adjust the slits with relation to the aperture, to maintain synchrony between the transmitted impulses and the slits.

The motor shaft III (Fig. 6) is manually rotated until the brush carriage I2I is at a position of 320 (Fig. 9), and in contact with the first radial group of nine contacts I21, corresponding to the nine di-poles I05, positioned at 320, in the antenna array 40 (Figs. 1-4). two contacts I23a, I29a, of the discs I28, I29, are in contact with the contacts I42a, of the plates I40, MI; in this manner, a complete circuit is formed through the conductors I36, I31, and their associated elements and the electrodes I05a, I05b,

A slit in the band I! is just starting to travel upwardly across the aperture of plate I6a, and

since 30 slits traverse the aperture per second, the transmission of the signal and the relative movement of the slit is thus synchronized. In the event the slit is out of phase, the strip Il may be re-adjusted by means of the screw 34.

In Fig. 2 a modification of. the present invention is shown as comprising a light diffraction projector TP, a high pressure mercury lamp 80 and a condenser B-I, which directs light from the lamp 80, through the slit 82a, of plate 82 (Fig.1a) the emergent light rays are made parallel by lens 83, passing through a light diffraction cell 84, and the light in passing therethrough will be converged by lens 83a; the rest of the apparatus is similar in all respects to that shown in Fig. l. A transmitter 88, has a mast 81, upon which is attached a hemispherical high speed, fine definition antenna array 88, and in the distance is an airplane 89; the transmitter 86, is connected by conductors 90v to the receiver SI, and conductors 92 are connected to the mercury lamp 80, conductors 92a are connected to the wave gen.- erator WG, and continuation wires 92a, connect the generator to the quartz crystal 84a, of the cell 84-, and conductors 921). are connected to a loud speaker 93.

It will be noted that in Fig. l, conductors 28, and, in Fig. 2, conductors 90, connectthe respective transmitter and receiver toindicate that they receive power, from the same source. It should beunderstood, however, that these conductors 28 and 90 may be omitted and that the respective transmitter and: receiver may be remote from each other and may be'connected to independent power sources.

In. Fig. 3; is shown the antenna array 40, 88, comprising nine annular curved reflectors I04a- I041 (Fig. 4), and arranged circumferentially in each reflector I04, there are positioned thirty-six equally spaced di-poles I05, each having electrodes I05a and I05b respectively (Figs. 4, 5). The thirty-six di-poles are so positioned that there are nine (ii-poles in each quadrant of the circle corresponding to the compass and within the confines of the dotted lines.

The

A cross-section of the antenna array 40, 88 is shown in Fig. 4, indicating the angle of transmission of the reflectors I04aI 04.

A top view of a set of di-poles is shown in Fig. 5, wherein the conductor I06a is connected directly to the electrode I05a, which is positioned at 320 of the centre line of the array and begins the northern quadrant; all of the other electrodes I05a, are then successively connected to the conductor I06a and each of the electrodes I05?) are connected to separate conductors IIa.

An energy transfer unit is shown in Fig. 6 wherein a synchronous motor H0 is connected by shaft III to a suitable gear box II2; a shaft H3 is supported by the uprights IIB, I24, and attached to this shaft is a brush carriage II4, made of insulation material, held in position by set screw II5. Fixed to the support H6 is a hollow commutator drum I I1, held in position by screws IIB (one shown); the commutator drum of insulation material has nine commutator rings II9a--II9i, and the carriage II4 has arranged therewith nine brushes I20a-I20i, each in contact with its respective commutator ring.

Attached also to the shaft H3 is another insulation-material brush carriage I 2I having nine brushes I22aI22i, and held in position by screw I Ia, and each brush I22 is connected respectively to each of the brushes Ia--I20i, by the wires I23a -I23i. Fixed to the support I24 by screws I25, is a disc of insulation material I26 (Fig. 9) having nine circular rows I0Iar--I0'Ii of contacts I21, each row comprising thirty-six contacts (Fig. 9) so arranged that the brushes I22al22i rotate against the faces of the contacts I2I.

Attached to the shaft II3a are two metal discs I28, I29 having contacts IZBa, I28a (Fig. 8), each disc having insulated bushings I30, I3I, and positioned by the set screws I32 and I33. In contact with the metal discs I28, I29 are brushes I34, I35, which are connected to wires I36 and I3"! respectively, and in turn are connected to the signal generator SG.

Two supports I38, I39 hold in position two insulation-material contact discs I40, I4 I, by means of screws II8, I25, each disc having nine contacts I42a-I42i (Fig. 7). One of the discs I4I shows the contacts I 42aI42i, which are connected to wires I43al43i, respectively, and form the cable I44. These wires are suitably connected to the commutator rings I I9aI I91, respectively, thus forming nine continuous circuits through brushes I20al20i, wires I23a-I23i and to the brushes I22w-I22i.

The thirty-six wires of the group I0Ia are connected to respective di-pole electrodes I05b, in the top circular row (Fig. 3), and the remaining groups of wires are similarly connected to their respective groups of di-pole electrodes I05b, as shown in one such illustration in Fig. 5.

The contacts I42 of disc I (similar to disc MD are connected by wires I Mia-I061, which form the cable I45; these wires I06a-IIJ6i are connected to their respective electrodes I05a (Figs. 3-5) of each group of di-poles, thus completing the plurality of circuits in the transmitter system.

Fig. '7 shows the disc I4I (similar to I40) having nine equally spaced contacts I42aI42i which are connected to conductors I 43a-I43i, which form the cable I44. These conductors are in turn connected to the commutator rings I Isa-H91, respectively.

Fig. 8.shows one of the metal discs I28, I29, the insulationbushing I30, the raised contact I28a, and the set screw I32, which holds the disc onto the shaft II3a.

Fig. 9 shows the circular disc I26, which is made of insulation material and has nine equally spaced circular groups I01a-I0'Ii of contacts I21, each group containing thirty-six contacts, thus forming thirty-six radial sets of contacts. Each group of contacts are connected by wires (not shown) to its respective group of di-pole electrodes I051) (Figs. 3, 5), in respective reflectors I04a--I04i (Figs. 1-4).

A face view of the brush carriage I2I is shown in Fig. 10. The brushes I22aI22i (Fig. 6) are graduated in size so that uniform successive contact is maintained between each succeeding radial group of contacts as the carriage rotates around the face of the disc I25 (Fig. 9), and the screw I I5a holds the carriage on shaft H3.

Fig. 11 shows a viewing screen 20 which is divided into contiguous areas denoting north, east, south and west, and progressing from left to right. The surface of the screen is sectioned into nine horizontal zones and each zone is subdivided into thirty-six areas, each area being representative of an area explored or scanned by pulses from an individual di-pole I05.

The operation of the invention as disclosed in Fig. 1 is as follows: the output signal from SG is conveyed by conductors I36, I31, to the energy transfer unit (Fig. 6). The current in conductor I36 is applied by the brush I33 to the rotating disc I 28 and contact I 280. to the nine contacts I42aI42i, of the contact plate I40, which are connected to the wires IIIGa-I 061, which form the cable M5; the terminals of these wires are nected to their respective conductors Him-I062. .1

The conductor I3! is connected to brush I35, which is in contact with rotating disc I29, which has contact IZSa: the contact plate MI is positioned adjacent to the disc I29, and has nine contacts I42al42i, which in turn are connected to their respective conductors I43al43i (Fig. 7), which form the cable I44, and these conductors are connected to their individual commutator rings II9aI I 92'. The nine brushes I20a I201, in carriage I M, are in contact with their respective commutator rings Il9aI I92; by means of wires Ina-I231, the brushes I22a-- I222, in carriage i 2I, are connected with the brushes IISa to H02, respectively.

The contacts I21, in plate I26 (Fig. 9) are individually connected in circular groups I0'Ia- Ifi'lz, which in turn are connected to the electrodes I 052; (Figs. 3, 4) of the di-poles I05. In this manner, it will be seen that a plurality of groups of circuits are connected to the di-poles of the system. Each di-pole is circularly spaced 10 apart and there are nine groups of nine dipoles for each quadrant of the compass, as indicated by the symbols N, E, S, W, as shown in Fig. 3.

Each circular reflector and group of di-poles (Figs. 1-4) are so positioned that the top reflector and its group are inclined at an acute angle skywardly, and the succeeding groups and their reflectors are successively inclined downwardly and the bottom one is directed slightly below the horizon, thus almost simultaneously obtaining aerial and surface scanning; that is to say, a signal is exploratorily projected in azimuth about the vertical axis of the antenna in successlve e1evations,- in-suchrapidsuccession (one 270th of a second for a circular sweep or a 30th of a second for a complete cycle) that the scan ning of all paths in the complete sycle is almost simultaneous.

The synchronous motor III] (Fig. 6) rotates at a speed of 1800 R. P. M. or 30 R. P. S., and the shaft I I I is connected to a gear box I I2; the shaft H3 rotates clockwise at the same speed of 30 R. P. S. and the shaft IIBa, rotates at a reduced speed of 200 R. P. M. Fixed'to these shafts are the elements heretofore described.

As the signal is generated, the pulses are conducted along conductor 53?, brush I35, disc I29, contact [29:1, through contact I421, conductor 13a (Fig. 7) commutator ring H911, brush I2I'Ia, conductor I23a, brush I22a, contact I2'I, conductor 501a (Fig. 5) and to the electrode I05a, of the di-pole I05.

At the same time, the circuit is completed through conductor I36, brush I33, disc I28, contact I28a, contact 52a, of disc I40, conductor IIlBa, not shown connected, of cable I55, and to the electrode I051) (Fig. 5).

As the motor is rotating at a speed of 1800 R. P. M., the shaft I I3 is rotating the brush carriages H4 and I2I at this speed, and the shaft H301. is rotating discs I28I29 at a speed of 200 R. P. M. The signal is applied from the conductor I31, to the brush 35, disc I 29, contact I29a, and in successive steps to contacts Ii2a- M22, which in turn conducts the pulses through the portions of the circuits as previously described.

In this manner, thirty-six pulses will be applied to the contacts of the group of wires IBM, and the next succeeding groups of thirty-six pulses will be applied to the groups of Wires i il'lbll'l2', until the cycle is completed and then resumed sequentially, 30 times per second.

The first group of pulses are applied clockwise to respective electrodes I05a, of the top row of di-poles I05 (Figs. 1-5) and the next groups of thirty-six pulses will be applied successively to each lower row of electrodes I05a, until the cycle is completed and then resumed sequentially.

A- the same time, the circuit is being completed through conductor I36, brush I34, disc I23, con tact IZBa, contacts I32a-ll2i, conductors Iii6a- IEifii (forming the cable hi5), and the conductor H0511 is connected to all the electrodes I950. (Fig. 5) of di-poles I05. Conductor I362) is connected to all the electrodes Ifiiia in the lower succeeding row of di-poles I05 (Fig. 3) and the conductors IfiiSc-ifiiii are connected to their successive respective electrodes It5a, of all the rest of the di-poles in the antenna array 40, 88. 7

As the brush carriage IZI makes one complete revolution around the face of the disc I26, the contacts I28a, IEfia, of discs 52%, I29, have made contact with contacts I42a, of the discs I30, ItI, or have rotated one-ninth of a revolution; in this manner, thirty-six pulses have been applied to the di-poles I05, in reflector 255a, and the slit '26 of the band I? is starting to move upwardly across the aperture of plate 550., which defines the area of the viewing screen.

In this manner, the brush carriage Iii makes thirty revolutions a second, and thirty slits pass the aperture in plate ISa, thus establishing a full relationship between the projector TP, the trans- Init-ter 2'2 and the antenna array 43.

As the pulses are exploratorily projected omnidirectionally, this is to say progressively about the vertical axis of the antenna array It, 88, in successive angular elevations, covering all points of 11116 9011113355 tart ng at a point 320 of the compass (Fig. 3), and radiating from an acute aerial angle (Fig. 4) to just below the horizon, at a scanning frequency of thirty times per secend, the pulses impinging upon the airplane 4!, are reflected and the aerial of the receiver 27 picks up the reflected or echo signals.

The reflected signal is amplified and by means of the conductors 28b, it is applied to the light shutter 15, which instantaneously permits the high frequency scanning component to pass for the duration of the reflected signal, through lens Na, and gate 15. A portion of the scanning component will pass through the co-incidental position of the horizontal slit 26, of the moving band or shutter 11, thus obtaining what shall hereafter be referred to as the low frequency scanning component, which passes through aperture in plate Ilia, lens l8, openings l9b (Fig. lb),'lens l8a, and onto the viewing screen 20.

As the first pulse is applied to each of the circular groups of di-poles in successive order, a single-pulse from the wave generator WG is applied by conductors 28a to the quartz crystal Ha of the diffraction cell 14.

Within the confines of the cell there is created a series of compressive waves in the liquid contained therein, the rate of travel being one wave traversing across the cell for each circular group of energized di-poles. The light from source It) passing therethrough will become successively difracted into vertical striations and the resultant high frequency scanning component is blocked by the shutter l5.

When the amplified signals are applied to light shutter l5, an area or dot of light will be positioned on the screen indicating the approximate altitude of the airplane.

It will be noted that when the slit 2'6, of the endless band or strip I1, is synchronized with the signal emanating from the first di-pole stationed at 320 of the compass (Figs. 3, in the uppermost annular reflector and the apparatus is then put in operation, pulses from the wave generator WG (Fig. 1) are applied to the piezoelectric driver Ma of the diffraction cell [4, thus creating a series of compressive waves in the liquid contained therein, the rate of travel being one wave traversing across the cell for each circular group of energized di-poles 'and one slit moving upwardly across the aperture in plate Ilia. The light from source i0, passing through the cell will become successively diffracted into vertical striations which are referred to as the high frequency scanning component and are blocked by the shutter l5.

It will thus be perceived that when a slit 26 in the band I! is just starting to travel upwardly across the aperture of the plate 16a, a group of 36 pulses will be applied to their respective dipoles in the top row of di-poles I05 (Figs. 1-5). As the first pulse is applied to the first di-pole of the .circular group, a single pulse from the wave generator is applied by conductors 28a to the driver Ma of the dififraction cell l4, thus creating a compressive wave from the proximal end of the cell and traveling to .the distal slope of the cell.

In this manner there is established a fixed synchrony between the traveling slit 25, the energizing of each group of di-poles I05 and the creating of the compressive waves in the cell 14, with its resultant light striations.

.As the pulses are spinnedror whirled into space about the vertical axis of the antenna in different successive elevations or paths some of the pulses upon impinging on the airplane 45 (Fig. 1) will immediately be reflected. These pulses are amplified by the receiver 21, and by means of the conductors 28b, they are applied to the light shutter I5, which permits the high frequency scanning component to pass through the various elements positioned in the optical axis of the projector and onto its relativeposition on the screen 20.

The light impinging upon the screen indicates the approximate location of the airplane. For this light to appear on the screen, it has been necessary .for pulses to be reflected from a position :2: (Fig. .11) to indicate the position and directionof the di-pole from which the pulses have been beamed, and of the co-incidental positions of the light striations and of the slits traveling across the aperture.

As the plane travels in a direction y, or to the left, pulses from a di-pole positioned ahead of the first-mentioned di-pole, will be reflected. The compressive waves 'in the cell I4, and the slits 26, have advanced slightly less than previously stated when the amplified pulses are applied to the shutter, and light will then be projected onto the screen in the then position of the plane.

When the plane travels in a direction z, or to the right, pulses from a di-pole positioned after the first-mentioned di-pole or position x, will be reflected. The waves and slits have advanced slightly further than previously stated when the amplified pulses have been applied to the shutter and then light will reach the screen showing the planes new location.

The repetitious sequence of the reflected or echo signal component showing on the screen indicates the movement of the airplane 4!.

At the same time, an overall coverage of the station or field is thus obtained. For oral communication, a loud speaker 29 may be suitably connected to the receiver by conductors 280.

With reference to Fig. 2, the reflected signal is amplified, and by means of conductors 92, the amplified signal is applied directly to the mercury lamp 80, which instantaneously permits the light to pass through the various elements positioned in the optical axis, and onto the viewing screen.

It will be .noted that in Fig. 1, use is made of a constant source of light and a light shutter, and in Fig. 2, the high pressure mercury lamp is substituted for the light source and shutter, l0 and 1.5 respectively. Otherwise, the various components of the system are alike in all respects.

While the various elements have been shown and described as having a particular relative relation, it should be understood it is not intended that the claims be read with such limitation since .it is obvious that these units may be re-arranged in different relative positions to accomplish the same result, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

It will thus be seen that there are provided methods and apparatus in which the several objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodiments might be made .of the .above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above .set forth, iti to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown .in the ac- '9 companying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A signaling apparatus comprising in combination a viewing screen lined to define co-related areas representative of explored regions and a stationary antenna array having a plunality of groups of fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle or elevation from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations and the successive energy-radiating means in each group. having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, each individual azimuth-angle directive-radiating means corresponding to a corelated area on the viewing screen.

2. In a signaling apparatus, a signal generator, a stationary antenna array having a plurality of groups of fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle of elevation from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations and the successive ener yradiating means in each group having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, energy transfer means to cyclically apply pulses from said generator to each directive-radiating means of one group separately and in succession proceeding .from group to group separately and in sequence whereby same are exploratorily projected over predetermined paths for scanning regions surrounding the antenna.

3. A signaling apparatus comprising in com bination a signal generator, a viewing screen lined to define co-related areas representative of explored regions and a stationary antenna array having a plurality of groups Oif fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle of elevation from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations, and the successive energy-radiating means in each group having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, each individual azimuth-angle directive-radiating means corresponding to a co-related area on the viewing screen, energy transfer means to cyclically apply pulses from said generator to each directive-radiating means of one group separately and in succession, proceeding from group to group separately and in sequence whereby same are exploratorily projected over predetermined paths for scanning regions surrounding the antenna, a receiver to amplify echo pulses from a remote object, an electro-optical means responsive to applied signals for translating the echo pulses into light beams and means to apply the amplified .pulses to said translating means and means to .project the light beams in their relative positions onto the viewing screen to indicate the presence and location of the object.

4. A signaling apparatus comprising in combination a signal generator, a viewing screen lined to define co-related areas representative of explored regions, and a stationary antenna array having a plurality of groups of fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle of elevation from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations, the successive energy-radiating means in eachgroup having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, each individual azimuth-angle directive-radiating means corresponding to -a -co-related area on the viewing screen, energy transfer means to cyclically apply pulses from said generator to each directive-radiating means of one group separately and in succession, proceeding from group to group separately and in sequence whereby same are exvploratorily projected over predetermined. paths for scanning regions surrounding the antenna, a receiver to amplify echo pulses from a remote object, a light source, an electro-optical translator including a first means for scanning light from said source at high frequency in one direction of scanning, a light shutter in the path of said scanning light output responsive to applied signals to variably occlude light from said first scanning means, a second means for further scanning said light from said shutter in a direction normal to said first direction, means to apply the amplified pulses to the shutter to permit light to pass therethrough to obtain light components indicative of a remote object from which the echo pulses had been received .and means to direct the light components in their relative positions onto said viewing screen to indicate the presence and location of said object.

5. A signaling apparatus comprising in combination a signal generator, a viewing screen lined to define co-related areas representative of explored regions, and a stationary antenna array having a plurality of groups of fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle of elevation from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations, the successive energy-radiating means in each group having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, each individual azimuth-angle directive-radiating means corresponding to a co-related area on the viewing screen, energy transfer means to cyclically apply pulses from said generator to each directive-radiating means of one group separately and in succession, proceeding from group to group separately and in sequence whereby same are exploratorily projected over predetermined paths for scanning regions surrounding the antenna, a receiver to amplify echo pulses from a remote object, a light source, an electro-optical translator including a light shutter responsive to applied signals to occlude light from said source, means to obtain from said light source a high frequency light scanning component, means to apply the amplified pulses to the shutter to permit the high frequency light scanning component to pass therethrough, means to obtain therefrom a low frequency light scanning component which is indicative of a remote object from which the echopulses has been received, and means to direct the resultant scanning component in its relative position onto said viewing screen to indicate the presence and location of said object.

6. In a signaling apparatus, a signal generator, a stationary antenna array having a plurality of groups of fixed directive energy-radiating means, said means in each group having their direction of radiation oriented at the same angle of eleva- 1 1 tion from the vertical axis, and said successive groups having directivity in ordinal successive angular elevations, and the successive energyradiating means in each group having their direction of radiation in ordinal successive azimuth about the axis, each individual azimuth angle directive-radiating means corresponding to a 00- related area on a viewing screen, energy-transfer means to cyclically apply pulses from said genera tor to each directive radiating means of one group separately and in succession, proceeding from group to group separately and in sequence whereby same are exploratorily projected over predetermined paths for scanning regions surrounding the antenna.

JOSEPH LA VIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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